Here’s how to make your summer wardrobe one cohesive aesthetic.
Summer approaches and brings extra sunlight hours, warm weather, and more outdoor engagements that thaw our frosty personas. These are the same personas that drove many of us toward the dark colors and extra layers that are so common in winter aesthetics.
While my previous article on 2024 summer trends covers emerging and popular pieces for men, this guide shows you how to combine those items into a cohesive aesthetic.
This covers the most popular aesthetic trends on the rise for men this summer. As your summer personality defrosts, you might find yourself searching for a new summer style.
What Is an Aesthetic
It’s the way the word “aesthetic” was absolutely butchered by Gen Z slang for me. In today’s vernacular, “aesthetic” defines anything that seems cool and is oftentimes more minimal. That’s why you might hear “that’s aesthetic” pop up in regular conversation.
The reality is that something cannot simply be aesthetic. Rather, something might have a certain type of aesthetic or be aesthetically pleasing.
An aesthetic refers to a set of principles underlying a style or an art form. So, something can give you aesthetic pleasure because you enjoy its particular style or even genre.
The word “aesthetic” doesn’t define anything on its own. Think minimal aesthetics, 90s aesthetics, or even goth aesthetics.
In this case, Summer 2024 Trend Aesthetics for Men are basically style categories.
The Most Popular Summer 2024 Trend Aesthetics for Men
This guide is meant to give you more ideas regarding how to put summer pieces together into cohesive style aesthetics. This covers both new and emerging aesthetic trends, as well as ones that have been around for the last few seasons.
You’ll see that these trends range from easy-to-assemble to slightly more quirky and bold. While these styles are complete categories, don’t be afraid to pick and choose to create your own personal aesthetic for the summer.
The Minimalist Aesthetic
Minimalist style is back for men, although some might say it never really left. Many of the most popular celebrities and influencers are doing this with simple silhouettes, structured pieces, and limited colors to keep their wardrobes versatile.
The brilliance of a minimalist style aesthetic is that you only buy and keep what you need, limiting impulse purchases and creating a more sustainable wardrobe. Think of this as a summer capsule wardrobe.
It’s characterized by simplicity. There aren’t a lot of flashy prints or colors. Every piece works together because of the limited color scheme. The uniqueness comes through in the layering, texture, and your mindfulness.
It also allows you to invest in more quality garments because you’re not overbuying. Minimalism gives instant cool guy vibes.
If you’re someone who wants to experiment with color and more bold fashion this summer, a total minimalist aesthetic may not be for you. You can always create a hybrid and include some statement pieces with your minimal aesthetic.
Linen pants and comfortable trousers are some items to incorporate for a minimal summer aesthetic. Other good options include white tanks and tees (also in earth tones), a simple baseball cap,
For some light layering, consider a thin cardigan and linen or light button-downs (short and long sleeves). Minimal thin jewelry is also great for a little personal touch.
The 50’s Summer Aesthetic
Many guys who gravitate towards tailored suiting during the fall and winter can naturally transition to this 1950s-inspired summer aesthetic. Much of the tailoring and attention to detail carries over.
Picture pleated and high-waisted shorts, large Cuban collars in muted colors and unique fabrics, leather sandals and loafers, knit polos, and summer-weight cardigans. It’s all very flattering and creates a timeless look.
Unlike a minimalist approach, there’s a lot more room for pattern, color, and material play. In terms of summer fabrics, this one gives you a chance to play with subtle sheer and lace fabrics that you might not otherwise try.
If retro tailoring was your vibe in the colder months, this allows you to loosen the buttons a bit but keep the best-tailored elements. The 50s summer aesthetic is all about the shape, structure, and finished fit of the clothes as opposed to the specific fabric and colors.
Gender Neutral/Soft Boy Aesthetic
This aesthetic blurs the line between men’s and womenswear. It’s not just repurposing women’s clothing for men and masculine dressers. Instead, it borrows the softer lines, wider cuts, and materials that are typical in women’s style.
For many men, this pushes the boundaries because the pieces are not constructed in a way that’s typical of men’s fashion. However, it does create something new, blending masculinity and femininity in a way that’s appealing and fresh.
If you’re curious about genderless fashion, summer is a great time to experiment. You can easily start by incorporating women’s pieces into your current wardrobe. Try styling them with your more masculine ones.
Try high-waisted pants and cropped jackets from the women’s section, and then pair them with your tees, shorts, or trousers.
Summer Formal Wear Aesthetic
Some guys just love their suits and aren’t willing to sacrifice that for warm weather. While this is closely related to the 50’s aesthetic, this takes on different kinds of structured tailoring. Although, the two definitely borrow from each other.
Instead of looser 50s tailoring, this aesthetic maintains a more modern approach. Because it’s summer, men often find themselves in bolder colors and prints. This is the time for fun suits and casual suits.
You can also consider short suits. This is where the modern tailoring of a trouser comes in the form of a short. It’s still a suit but is very casual.
Whimsical and Sheer Aesthetics
Many people want to show a little more skin in the summer, especially if you’ve been putting in the work at the gym.
Adjacent to the gender-neutral aesthetic, the whimsical and sheer aesthetic just takes it a step further. There’s more lace and shear fabric involved. It’s less about what’s masculine and feminine and more about what is unique, whimsical, and even a little sexy.
If you’re not ready to bear it all, the pieces associated with this aesthetic make for great layering options. These are the best for summer nights. Shear fabrics make unique statements when you’re out on the town.
Many pieces associated with this style are also often cut in patterns that mimic traditional menswear. That makes them a unique twist and great bold pieces for any of the other aesthetics discussed here.
In other words, don’t be afraid to mix and match aesthetics and create hybrids.
Streetwear and Luxury Streetwear
Streetwear remains a popular aesthetic even in the summer. It continues to draw from the 90’s and early 2000’s styles. However, it’s also slipping into luxury fashion and mixing in other unique elements to create something new.
The result is a lot of oversized pieces mixed with logo-ed items, as well as a lot more creative expression through color. Streetwear isn’t just an aesthetic; it’s rooted in cultural storytelling. A lot of the fashion in this category is a culmination of the urban style and its rise to popularity.
Luxury brands picked up on the popularity. You’ll see a lot of mixing of high and low pieces to create something completely individual.
Streetwear is for people who want to stand out and break away from formal and traditional menswear rules. They want to share their story without boundaries.
Elevated Athleisure
As gym clothes get nicer, athleisure and athletic aesthetics become ever more popular. However, it’s not the ratty gym shorts and tees that you throw on around the house or run errands in after sweat sessions.
Whether it’s because guys don’t want to change out of comfy clothes or are spending more and more time at the gym, the athleisure category grew into its own aesthetic.
Guys are investing in gym pieces like matching sets in nicer sport-tech fabrics, clean gym
Athleisure isn’t appropriate for every occasion. It’s inherently more casual, and you’ll most likely have to balance it with another aesthetic for more dressed-up events. Nonetheless, many people live the majority of their lives in it, especially during the summer.
Its popularity even inspired luxury fashion houses to collaborate with and elevate the athleisure style, making it more desirable and exclusive.
Mix and Match Summer 2024 Trend Aesthetics for Men
None of these are prescriptive. You can mix and match aesthetics to create your own personal style.
A lot of people choose to follow aesthetics to give them guidelines from which to operate. Eventually, style fashion decisions can feel normal and natural. If you like design elements from multiple, combine them and create your own personal style.
Hopefully, this guide offered you a new way to try some of those new trending pieces this summer.
Which aesthetic is your favorite? If you have any questions or comments, leave them down below!
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